 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-05-25 19:22
A question for the working pros: What are the important differences between playing in an opera house orchestra and playing in a 'regular' symphony orchestra? Are the auditions comparable?
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-05-25 21:52
I play with a regional orchestra and at times with FREELANCE with various opera orchestras. As far as audition lists the whole process is pretty much the same except aspects of the audition list for an opera company may comprise of the nasty bits say from Stauss' Electra or more extended solos from Wagner operas and even contemporary operas as well.
As far as solo playing and sound I find I prefer working with the human voice a great deal because a really good opera orchestra tends to play with and under singers and this is excellent for tonal control. As to any really noticable difference in sound sometimes opera orchestra'
will require some pretty delicate playing. For me I don't find opera playing that noticiably different except the pay is good and fatigue can be a problem for some if the opera goes over 3 hours!
Its mostly about good sound and finding the right nuance as usual.
David Dow
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-05-25 22:09
David, you make an excellent point ... Strauss might very well have been a wonderful composer and orchestrator (and he was indeed) but his clarinet writting is very difficult and ... dare I say it, just plain clumsy. Electra's a great example of very difficult clarinet writting (thought I've not played that one) I have played Rosenkavalier and it was very, very nasty.
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